Drying device

ABSTRACT

A dryer, particularly for drying the body of a person, includes a toweling in the form of an absorbent material which is preferably porous and is arranged around or adjacent fan or blower in a position such that the fan may direct a drying fluid which is advantageously heated air against one side of the toweling while an article or a person is arranged at the opposite side in contact with the towelling so as to be dried thereby. The toweling advantageously includes one or more layers or a single layer having pores preferably such that there is some degree of flow-through of the air but there is sufficient resistance to the air flow so that the toweling bellows out and the drying surface is enlarged. In one arrangement the dryer includes a platform or stand with fan-supporting brackets on each side of the stand, each of which support a generally hemispherical-shaped toweling around the discharge of the fan and a heater associated therewith. The size of the toweling is such that when the fans are operated the two towelings balloon outwardly from opposite sides of the platform and intersect centrally over the platform at a position in which a person would normally stand to be dried. The platform advantageously includes means for turning on and off the fan or heater and for illuminating the toweling with an ordinary white or a multi-colored light as desired.

United States Patent [191 Lepage [54] DRYING DEVICE [76] Inventor: MarcD. Lepage, 209 West 109th Street, Apt. 3-W, New York, NY. 10036 [22]Filed: March 25, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 22,540

[52] US. Cl. ..34/88, 34/95, 34/239, 34/243 [51] Int. Cl ..F26b 19/00[58] Field of Search...-. ..34/9, 17, 71, 95, 243, 88, 34/239, D16. 1;4/158; 15/308, 100, 3.1, 3.16, 3.17

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,592,444 4/1952 Matelena..40/214 X 3,536,906 10/1970 Bloom ..240/10 C 1,065,806 11/1926 Briggset a1. ..55/378 X 1,214,234 l/l917 Skinner ..34/71 2,127,121 3/1938Kelley ..34/99 X 3,189,929 6/1965 Koppehele ..15/308 2,714,151 7/1955Becker ...34/88 X 1,685,345 9/1928 Voss .34/243 rilllllll 1 Jan. 23,1973 [57] ABSTRACT A dryer, particularly for drying the body of aperson, includes a toweling in the form of an absorbent material whichis preferably porous and is arranged around or adjacent fan or blower ina position such that the fan may direct a drying fluid which isadvantageously heated air against one side of the toweling while anarticle or a person is arranged at the opposite side in contact with thetowelling so as to be dried thereby. The toweling advantageouslyincludes one or more layers or a single layer having pores preferablysuch that there is some degree of flowthrough of the air but there issufficient resistance to the air flow so that the toweling bellows outand the drying surface is enlarged. In one arrangement the dryerincludes a platform or stand with fan-supporting brackets on each sideof the stand, each of which support a generally hemispherical-shapedtoweling around the discharge of the fan and a heater associatedtherewith. The size of the toweling is such that when the fans areoperated the two towelings balloon outwardly from opposite sides of theplatform and intersect centrally over the platform at a position inwhich a person would normally stand to be dried. The platformadvantageously includes means for turning on and off the fan or heaterand for illuminating the toweling with an ordinary white or amulti-colored light as desired.

16 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures LIGHT PATENTEDJMZs I975 3.711.958

INVENTOR. MAVEC 0. di /46E ATTORNE/S' DRYING DEVICE SUMMARY OF THEINVENTION This invention relates in general to the construction ofdryers and in particular to a new useful dryer particularly for a personwhich includes means for directing a drying gas such as air against orthrough a toweling material which is adapted to be positioned with itsopposite side in contact with the article or person to be dried.

With the highly improved constructions of the present day sanitarysystems and bath arrangements there is an increasing tendency to useelaborate fixtures for toning the body as well as for facilitating thewhole aspect of body care. One essential need is a drying arrangementfor facilitating the drying of a person after a bath which will beefficient in operation and simple and pleasant to use. In order tosatisfy such a need the present invention provides a drying device whichcomprises toweling in the form of a fabric which is arranged so that adrying fluid such as air may be directed against one side while a personor an article to be dried may be arranged on the opposite side in aposition to contact this opposite side and to be dried both by theabsorbent toweling material and by the drying fluid.

In a preferred arrangement of the invention the apparatus includes adryer in the form ofa fabric or cloth which is arranged at the dischargeof a fan and heater and is advantageously made of a material which isporous at least to some degree so that the action of the fan against thematerial causes it to balloon outwardly and present an enlargedbillowing drying surface out of the pores of which the drying fluid mayexit. Two of the generally hemispherical-shaped towelings are arrangedin opposition on an upright stand at a position such that when they arefully extended they intersect substantially centrally over a platformwhich is provided for the user of the device. A fan or heater isadvantageously associated with each hemispherical piece of dryingmaterial and when the fan is actuated, such as by a person stepping onthe platform, the two opposite balloon or like portions of the dryerintersect centrally and against the body of the person standing on theplatform to provide a drying action. The drying may be completed bymoving of the person in association with the toweling and by presentingall of the parts of the body adjacent to the toweling. The dryingproceeds with a pleasant sensation and the complete operation isthorough and efficient and may be accomplished in a short period oftime. The esthetic appearance of the device is enchanced by theprovision of multicolored light within the material which, for example,may be tuned for the temperature of the operating heater so as toprovide a visual concept of the drying operation.

Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to. provide an improveddryer which includes a toweling which is arranged at the discharge of afan in a position to bellow out by the operation of the fan and whichpresents a drying surface on the side opposite from the fan.

A further object of the invention is to provide a drying apparatus whichincludes a platform for a person arranged between two balloon-liketoweling parts, each of which is acted upon by a fan blowing in adirection toward the center of the platform to cause the two towelingsto substantially intersect at the center of the platform so as to dry aperson positioned on a platform between the two towelings.

A further object of the invention is to provide a drying device whichincludes a toweling material such as a fabric and preferably one whichhas some pores which is arranged in a form of a hemisphere around acentral fan and heater in a position to cause the discharge of the fanto make the toweling bellow outwardly, the toweling materialadvantageously being such that it will absorb moisture and will permitthe free drying action of the drying fluid to act upon an article or aperson positioned there against.

A further object of the invention is to provide a dryer which is simplein design, rugged in construction and economical to manufacture.

The various features of novelty which characterize the invention arepointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming apart of this specification. For a better understanding of the invention,its operating advantages and specific objects attained by its uses,reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptivematter in which there is illustrated a preferred embodiment of theinvention.

IN THE DRAWINGS:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation of the view partly in section of a dryingapparatus constructed in accordance with the invention; and

FIG. 2 is an end elevation of view of the drying apparatus.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to thedrawings in particular the invention embodied therein in FIG. 1comprises a drying device, generally designated 10 which includes acentral platform generally designated 12 arranged centrally between twoupright members or stands 14 and 16 of a supporting stand generallydesignated 18 which is arranged to extend outwardly from each end of theplatform 12.

In accordance with the invention each stand 14 and 16 includes spacedupright elements 20 and 22 which provide a support for a fan bracket 24which carries a fan motor 26 and a rotatable fan or blower 28. A wiredgrill 30 provides a protection at the exterior side of the fan 28. Aheater 32 is advantageously supported at the discharge of the fan in aposition to cause a heating element 34 therein to heat the air which isblown in a direction of the arrows 36 of FIG. I from the exterior of thedevice through the heater.

Each stand 14 and 16 also includes an annular member 38 which providesan external guide or support for balloon-like toweling 40 and a fanshroud or cover portion 42.

The toweling 40 is advantageously made of a material which will benormally limp when there is no air flowing through the fan but willbellow out into a substantially hemispherical form as indicated in FIG.I when the fans are directing a drying fluid against one side thereof.In a preferred form the toweling 40, forexample, may comprise a textilematerial of one or more layers with an exterior or drying surface madeof a material which has absorbent qualities, for example, a terry-clothmaterial. In the preferred form the material is such that there is someflow-through of the drying fluid so that the drying fluid such as heatedair will exit through the many pores of the material at the dryingsurface and provide a rapid drying action on the person or article to bedried.

As in the embodiment of the device illustrated the platform 12 includesa central stand or plate 44 of a size to easily accommodate a personstanding in an upright position as'indicated by the bather 46. The plate44 is advantageously supported on an annular member such as an innertube 47 which is inflated and which will permit some deflection of theplate 44 so as to actuate a button 48 of a switch 50 which is connectedthrough leads 52 to an electrical supply and through the fan motor 26.The heater coil 34 may also advantageously be connected to the switch 50for actuation thereby when the person stands on the platform 44.

In order to enchance the appearance and the esthetic use value of thedevice it advantageously includes a lighting system generally designated54 which provides an interior light within the toweling 40. For thispurpose the lighting system 54 may advantageously include a thermostaticor other control device (not shown) for causing a variation of the colorof the light in accordance with such things as time of use, intensity ofair flow, temperature of air flow, etc.

When a person such as the bather 46, wishes to use p the device, shemerely steps on the platform 44 to actuate both the heater coil 34 andthe fan blower 26 and this causes the material 40 to blossom out from alimp position into the balloon-like hemispherical configurationindicated in the drawings so that a major portion of the exterior dryingsurface of the material moves against the person 46 and provides animmediate drying action. in addition, the person may move backwardly andforwardly in respect to the two separate and opposed hemisphericalportions 40,40 in order to enchance the drying action and to provide apleasant warm and drying sensation.

What is claimed is:

l. A dryer comprising platform means, including a stand portion on eachside of a central platform, a balloon-like toweling mounted on each ofsaid stand portions, having a ballooning portion extending outwardlytoward said platform, a fan mounted on said platform within each of saidballoon-like portions for blowing drying air into said balloon-likeportions to cause inflation thereof and outward movement toward thecenter of said platform.

2. A dryer according to claim 1, including heating means associated withsaid fan for heating a fluid directed into said balloon-like portions.

3. A dryer according to claim I, wherein said balloon-like' portions aremade of a material having pores permitting the flow of the drying fluidtherethrough.

4. A dryer according to claim 1, wherein said platform means includes acentral platform plate for accommodating a person between saidballoon-like portions of said toweling, means resiliently supportingsaid plate for movement of said plate by the weight of the personstanding thereon, and switch means operated by movement of said plateand connected to said fan means for actuating said fan when a personsteps on said plate.

5. A dryer as claimed in claim 4, including light means located withinat least one of said balloon-like portions, said balloon-like portionsintersecting substantially centrally over said plate, when said fan isoperating in a location to contact the body of the person standing onsaid platform.

6. An ornamental light fixture comprising a support frame, a foldableporous bag secured peripherally to said frame in an unencased location,light means mounted within said bag on said frame for illuminating saidbag, and fan means associated with said frame and arranged to dischargeinto said bag to cause the inflation and erection thereof.

7. An appliance according to claim 6, wherein said light means comprisesa lamp located within said frame and illuminating said bag from theinterior.

8. An ornamental light fixture comprising a support frame, a foldableporous bag secured peripherally to said support frame in an unencasedlocation, a colored light mounted within said bag on said frame anddirected toward said bag and illuminating said bag with a colored lightwhich extends through the material of said bag, and fan means associatedwith said frame and arranged to discharge into said bag to cause theinflation and erection thereof.

9. A heating appliance comprising a support frame, a porous foldable bagsecured peripherally to said support frame in an unencased location,said bag being exposed in the atmosphere and being fully erectableoutwardly from said frame, a heater within said frame and fan meansassociated with said frame and arranged to discharge through said heaterand into said bag to cause the inflation and erection thereof and thedischarge of heated air therethrough.

10. An ornamental light fixture comprising a support frame, a foldableporous bag secured peripherally in said frame in an unencased location,said frame being tubular and said bag being a tubular bag and having anopen end which is secured to the top of said frame and which whendeflated collapses, an electric light in said bag and fan meansassociated with said frame and arranged to discharge into said bag tocause the inflation and erection thereof to form said bag upright as acontinuation of said frame.

11. An appliance according to claim 10, including a light carried on theinterior of said frame illuminating said bag.

12. A dryer for persons, comprising a porous toweling material forming abag having an opened end, a frame, said toweling material being mountedon said frame with its open end sealed around said frame and located inan unencased open position for exposure of an outer surface thereof inthe atmosphere for contact by a person to be dried, said bag of towelingmaterial being fully extendible in front of said frame, an electricheater mounted with said frame and fan means for directing air throughsaid heater and against the inner surface of said toweling material tocause the toweling material to bellow outwardly to erect said bag and topresent the opposite outer surface thereof for drying contact with theperson to be dried.

13. A dryer according to claim 12, wherein said toweling materialcomprises a balloon-like form of a toweling having pores permitting flowof the drying fluid therethrough.

16. A dryer according to claim 12, wherein said toweling comprises firstand second substantially hemispherical toweling parts arranged inopposition, said fan means including a separate fan arranged to direct adrying air through said hemispherical toweling portions from oppositedirections toward the center, said toweling material portions beingcapable of billowing outwardly from opposite directions toward eachother.

1. A dryer comprising platform means, including a stand portion on eachside of a central platform, a balloon-like toweling mounted on each ofsaid stand portions, having a ballooning portion extending outwardlytoward said platform, a fan mounted on said platform within each of saidballoon-like portions for blowing drying air into said balloon-likeportions to cause inflation thereof and outward movement toward thecenter of said platform.
 2. A dryer according to claim 1, includingheating means associated with said fan for heating a fluid directed intosaid balloon-like portions.
 3. A dryer according to claim 1, whereinsaid balloon-like portions are made of a material having porespermitting the flow of the drying fluid therethrough.
 4. A dryeraccording to claim 1, wherein said platform means includes a centralplatform plate for accommodating a person between said balloon-likeportions of said toweling, means resiliently supporting said plate formovement of said plate by the weight of the person standing thereon, andswitch means operated by movement of said plate and connected to saidfan means for actuating said fan when a person steps on said plate.
 5. Adryer as claimed in claim 4, including light means located within atleast one of said balloon-like portions, said balloon-like portionsintersecting substantially centrally over said plate, when said fan isoperating in a location to contact the body of the perSon standing onsaid platform.
 6. An ornamental light fixture comprising a supportframe, a foldable porous bag secured peripherally to said frame in anunencased location, light means mounted within said bag on said framefor illuminating said bag, and fan means associated with said frame andarranged to discharge into said bag to cause the inflation and erectionthereof.
 7. An appliance according to claim 6, wherein said light meanscomprises a lamp located within said frame and illuminating said bagfrom the interior.
 8. An ornamental light fixture comprising a supportframe, a foldable porous bag secured peripherally to said support framein an unencased location, a colored light mounted within said bag onsaid frame and directed toward said bag and illuminating said bag with acolored light which extends through the material of said bag, and fanmeans associated with said frame and arranged to discharge into said bagto cause the inflation and erection thereof.
 9. A heating appliancecomprising a support frame, a porous foldable bag secured peripherallyto said support frame in an unencased location, said bag being exposedin the atmosphere and being fully erectable outwardly from said frame, aheater within said frame and fan means associated with said frame andarranged to discharge through said heater and into said bag to cause theinflation and erection thereof and the discharge of heated airtherethrough.
 10. An ornamental light fixture comprising a supportframe, a foldable porous bag secured peripherally in said frame in anunencased location, said frame being tubular and said bag being atubular bag and having an open end which is secured to the top of saidframe and which when deflated collapses, an electric light in said bagand fan means associated with said frame and arranged to discharge intosaid bag to cause the inflation and erection thereof to form said bagupright as a continuation of said frame.
 11. An appliance according toclaim 10, including a light carried on the interior of said frameilluminating said bag.
 12. A dryer for persons, comprising a poroustoweling material forming a bag having an opened end, a frame, saidtoweling material being mounted on said frame with its open end sealedaround said frame and located in an unencased open position for exposureof an outer surface thereof in the atmosphere for contact by a person tobe dried, said bag of toweling material being fully extendible in frontof said frame, an electric heater mounted with said frame and fan meansfor directing air through said heater and against the inner surface ofsaid toweling material to cause the toweling material to bellowoutwardly to erect said bag and to present the opposite outer surfacethereof for drying contact with the person to be dried.
 13. A dryeraccording to claim 12, wherein said toweling material comprises aballoon-like form of a toweling having pores permitting flow of thedrying fluid therethrough.
 14. A dryer according to claim 12, includinga stand, said toweling material having a portion draped around saidstand and extending outwardly therefrom, said fan means being mounted onsaid stand and arranged to direct the drying fluid into the interior ofsaid toweling to cause it to move outwardly from said stand.
 15. A dryeraccording to claim 12, wherein said fan means includes a rotatablepropeller fan, a heater mounted at the discharge of the fan in aposition to heat the fluid discharged by said fan.
 16. A dryer accordingto claim 12, wherein said toweling comprises first and secondsubstantially hemispherical toweling parts arranged in opposition, saidfan means including a separate fan arranged to direct a drying airthrough said hemispherical toweling portions from opposite directionstoward the center, said toweling material portions being capable ofbillowing outwardly from opposite directions toward each other.